Born To Be My Baby
by The Aluminum Monster
Summary: Riley is left with the life-changing results of a past fling and relies on Zane to help him through it. Riley/Zane oneshot.


**Born To Be My Baby**

**Summary: Riley is left with the life-changing results of a past fling and relies on Zane to help him through it.**

**A/N: This was originally a chapter in my other Riley/Zane drabble fic "Crazy For You", but after receiving a mean-spirited review in regards to it having nothing to do with the plot-line, I decided to turn it into a oneshot instead. Being the self-conscious writer I am, I didn't want anything to ruin "Crazy For You", so just pretend this is brand new. If you don't like it, I don't care. Keep your mouth shut.  
**

Riley sighed deeply as he exited the small room in the maternity wing of the hospital. He wandered down into the brightly-lit lobby, only to find his boyfriend sitting in a chair, watching the TV and waiting patiently for him. When Zane caught a glimpse of him, he smiled and headed in his direction.

"Hey. So…how'd it go?" He asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice. A small smile played at Riley's lips as his slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"You're looking at a brand new dad." Riley said. Most boyfriends would be angered by this. Lucky for Riley, he had Zane, who instead smiled and wrapped his arms around him in a loving hug.

"Congratulations! How do you feel?" Zane asked while pulling away from the hug. Riley rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"Scared as hell." There was a pause. "She's so…small." Riley stated, the only word he could use to describe his new daughter. Zane laughed.

"Well, yeah, she was just born. What did you expect, a golden retriever?" Riley chuckled.

"No, it was just…when I watched them take her out…she looked so small. I was afraid she was gonna get hurt somehow." Zane's smile had decreased in size, but was still visible.

"That's a good thing. That means you care about her."

"I guess so." Riley said, sitting in the chair Zane had just been in. Zane took the free seat next to him.

"You've got another life on your hands that you're responsible for other than your own now, Ri. Do you think you're ready?"

"Not one bit. But it's too late now, isn't it? I just watched the birth of my stupid mistake back there. You're right Zane, I don't think. Riley Stavros screws it up once again." Zane shook his head.

"Are you really saying that? After you just witnessed the birth of your newborn daughter? She's more than a one night stand, stupid mistake. She's a _baby._ A real, living, breathing baby. And she's your baby. So don't try and pull the mistake card now." Riley nodded.

"You're right. Sorry. Rush of emotions. I'm not thinking before I speak. I've got a lot on my mind right now." Zane rubbed Riley's shoulder soothingly.

"I know you do. You just became a parent. That's not exactly the easiest thing in the world, especially when you're only eighteen." Zane said, causing a grin from both boys. As Riley opened his mouth to speak again, they heard the noise of high heels clicking loudly on the linoleum floor of the hospital and a female's voice calling their names.

"Riley! Zane! There you guys are!" Anya's voice rang through the couple's ears. Riley turned to his lover with a look of confusion.

"Zane, you didn't…" Zane bit his lower lip.

"Sorry honey. But she's your best friend, I figured she deserved to know! Besides, she's the only person I told, I swear."

"So…what happened? Did she have the baby?" Anya asked, hopeful.

"Yes she did." Zane grinned. Anya's face lit up as she shrieked and hugged Riley.

"Oh my God! Congrats, Ri! Boy or a girl?"

"Beautiful baby girl." He said.

"That's awesome! So, how does it feel to be a dad? Do you suddenly feel ten years older?" Riley shrugged and laughed nervously.

"Not exactly. I'm terrified, actually."

"Trust me, I know how that feels. I've been through a pregnancy scare, not exactly the happiest time of your life."

"Well this a little more than just a scare now, Anya. This is the real thing." Anya nodded understandingly.

"A lot more of an eye-opener, I'm sure." The three teens were silent as the over-whelming realization of reality hit each of them. Anya finally broke the pondering silence.

"So…tell me more about this girl, this pregnancy. How did it happen, when, where? Zane didn't give me the juicy details." She joked. Riley sat down, a silent signal for the other two to join him.

"Her name's Maddie. I met her last March during spring vacation on a cruise. The one time my family actually decided they wanted to travel." Riley started, emanating laughter from his companions. "Anyways, I met her on the cruise. This was back last year, when I was still in denial, and…I just really wanted to believe that I was straight. I thought that Maddie would be the perfect way to prove that. We hit it off pretty well. I'm sure if I had just accepted that I was gay back then, we would still be good friends. But I wanted desperately to be straight. So, Maddie and I got closer and closer, and as usual, one thing led to another, and the next thing I knew…I slept with her. Once. I was an idiot, as always, and didn't even think about using a condom. I slept with her the night before we got back, so we just decided to break things off and call it a short-lived fling. We still exchanged numbers anyways, just to keep in touch. And sure enough, I got a call from her last month saying that she was 8 months pregnant with my kid and wanted me to be there for the birth. Great reunion, huh?"

There was another painful silence while Anya tried to process everything Riley had just told her. Zane, having already heard this story once, tried his best not to get upset over his loved one's mistake, knowing it was before they'd met and understanding the denial and self-hate issues he'd gone through the previous year.

"Wow…you and luck don't really get along, do you?" Anya asked jokingly. Riley chuckled again.

"Not at all. If we did, I would have accepted that I was gay a long time ago, never would have had sex with Maddie and gotten her pregnant, and never would've messed up with Zane the amount of times I did." Zane rubbed Riley's arm and kissed his cheek.

"Forget that, Riley. The mistakes you made with me are old news. We're together, happy and in love now, right? The past is the past. It's time to just move on from all of that, OK?" Riley intertwined his fingers with Zane's.

"Thanks. I love you."

"Love you too. Besides, what you really need to focus on now is being a good father to your daughter."

"Sorry to interrupt, but you two are probably like, the best thing I ever created. You're adorable!"

"Created? Who said you created us?" Riley grinned.

"Hey, you never would have asked Zane out if it wasn't for me. And I helped you win him back all those times. So you owe me big time."

"What can I say Anya, you're right. I owe it all to you." As the three began to laugh again, Riley heard his name. He turned to see a doctor standing in the entrance to the lobby.

"Riley Stavros?" He asked. Riley was on his feet in a second.

"Yeah, that's me."

"Would you like to come see your daughter?" Riley grinned and turned back to Zane and Anya, who encouraged him.

"Is it alright if my friends come too?" The doctor nodded.

"Of course." Riley motioned for Zane and Anya to come, and the two scrambled to their feet.

The trio silently followed the doctor down the hallway until they reached the room in which all the newborns were stationed, some wrapped in pink blankets and caps, others in blue. There were two nurses in the room, one with a clip board filling out paper work, the other tending to the babies.

"You can go in. Just be sure to be quiet." The doctor said, opening the door for Riley. Riley entered and slowly and quietly approached one of the nurses, who directed him to his daughter's cradle. He turned back around to see Anya and Zane standing in the doorway, watching him with small smiles.

Riley stared down at his sound asleep daughter wrapped tightly in her pink blanket. She had a tiny bald head and hands the size of a doll's. The nurse approached him.

"Would you like to hold her?" She asked.

"Can I?" The nurse nodded and carefully picked up the baby, gently handing her to Riley, who stood as stiff as a board, afraid of harming her. He gently stroked her head.

"Hey…hey sweetie. It's daddy." He said in a soothing tone. The doctor came up behind Riley briefly.

"Madeleine's sleeping now, but she wanted me to tell you that she's allowing you to name the baby. She said you deserve it, and she's sorry for keeping her a secret from you for so long." Riley nodded a thank you to the doctor, and turned his attention back to his daughter.

The immediate thought on his mind now was names. As his mind filled with possible female names, he felt a hand on his shoulder, only to find Zane behind him.

"She's gorgeous, Riley. You're one lucky guy." He whispered.

"Maddie gave me permission to name her."

"Oh yeah? Do you have any ideas?" Riley thought for a moment, before the name came to him instantly.

"Sophia. It's a Greek name. It was my aunt's."

"The one that died?" Riley nodded.

"It's beautiful. A beautiful name for a beautiful girl. It fits her well." Zane said. The two stopped talking and took in the silence, with the exception of the hushed sounds of machines and babies.

"A lot of things are gonna change now Riley. You've got a whole new bunch of responsibilities. You may not have full custody of Sophia, but you still have to be there for her."

"I know. But that's OK. I'm willing to sacrifice anything for her at this point." Riley once again brought a smile to Zane's face.

"You really love her, don't you?"

"After holding her and seeing her like this…how can I not? She's my daughter."

"Is that a tear I see?" Zane asked, grinning as he watched his boyfriend discreetly cry over his child.

"My mom always told me the minute I held my first child in my arms would be one of the most emotional moments of my life. She's right. Sophia's perfect, Zane." As if on cue, Sophia's eyes opened slightly and she made small noises, the ones typical to leave a newborn's mouth, causing both teens to glance at each other and smile.

"Looks like you've got a daddy's girl on your hands. I think she likes you." Zane said.

"She as no idea how much I'm gonna spoil her."

"You're gonna make a great dad Ri. I can tell."

"Do you wanna hold her? She's gonna have to get used to having two dads around when she comes to visit me." Zane grinned and carefully took the baby into his arms as Riley handed her to him.

"So am I just gonna be "uncle Zane" until she's old enough to understand what gay means?" Riley shrugged.

"We'll see how it goes. Play it by year." Zane nodded understandingly and gently rocked Sophia in his arms.

"You really are one beautiful girl, Sophia Stavros."

Riley gently turned Zane's head to his and pressed their lips together.

"Thanks for being here today. It means a lot. I'm glad you didn't get mad at me when I told you I was gonna be a dad too."

"I'll always be here for you when you need me. And how could I get mad after seeing this face?" He said, referring to Sophia.

"Well…it looks like I'm gonna have a lot of work on my hands now." Riley said.

"You'll get through it. Trust me, this little angel isn't as bad as she looks." Riley gently took his daughter's hand.

"You know…I think you might be right about that."

_Fin_

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_So...there it was. That was a bit of a mess. But oh well. Now nobody can say it's off topic.  
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